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Mixed up markets

When most people think of “the market,” they think of the stock market. But, there are other markets that are equally or more important to pay attention to.

For example, bond and currency markets are bigger than stock markets. Commodity markets are important, too, but most people ignore them.

Why are other markets important, you may ask? Because they frequently bring warnings of contradictory premises held by different participants in each specific market.

In a normal state of affairs, currencies and gold should move in opposite directions. That’s what’s happening right now, especially with gold flying high and the U.S. dollar crashing. All good there.

Normally, commodities move opposite the dollar. Commodities have been soaring and the U.S. dollar is tanking, so everything looks as it should there, too.

Next, we come to bonds. Bonds and commodities normally move opposite each other, and here we run into our first contradiction. Commodities are soaring and bonds are climbing, too. The first indicates inflation and fast economic growth and the second indicates deflation and slow or declining economic growth. Both markets can’t be right.

Furthermore, commodities and stocks usually move opposite each other, which is just another way of saying bonds and stocks tend to move together. Climbing commodities indicates inflation and high interest rates (lower bond prices) which both tend to be bad for stocks.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying these relationships exist at all times and all places. But, when I see markets seeming to indicate different opinions, I take notice. It means markets are mixed up and one will turn out to be right and the other wrong.

Things are pretty mixed up right now. The dollar is sinking, commodities are climbing, as are stocks and bonds.

The dollar is sinking because the Fed is going to print money to try to further revive our flagging U.S. economy. That means a lower U.S. dollar, higher inflation, and rising commodities and gold. So far, so good.

But, a lower dollar, higher inflation and rising commodities is inconsistent with high bond and stock prices. High inflation is bad for bonds and stocks. That contradiction must be resolved.

To further muddy the waters, rising bond prices usually correspond with higher stock prices, but not super high bond prices. Super high bond prices means very low bond yields, which tends to indicate low growth, deflation and economic stagnation. And, that’s usually NOT a recipe for higher stock prices. As illustration, Japan’s bond prices have gone up for 20 years while its stock market has lost 75% of its value.

Bonds are indicating slow or negative growth and stocks are rallying, and that doesn’t make sense. Bond markets are right more often that stock markets, so the on-going stock rally might be in danger.

High gold and commodity prices and a falling U.S. dollar should mean lower bond prices and high bond yields (a.k.a. inflation). Once again, this contradiction must be resolved.

Over time, all markets will sync back up again. Either bonds and stocks will tank and the dollar will continue to fall; or, commodities and gold will tank, the dollar will rally, and stocks and bonds will continue to rise. It may take time, but markets will re-achieve consistentency.

Nothing in this blog should be considered investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. The opinions, estimates and projections contained herein are subject to change without notice. Information throughout this blog has been obtained from sources believed to be accurate and reliable, but such accuracy cannot be guaranteed.